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Windows Search keeps a local catalog of files and, depending on your settings, words inside them so it can return results without starting from scratch for every search. The catalog is maintained in the background. Its scope is adjustable: Classic mode covers selected common folders, while Enhanced mode covers the whole PC and may use more system resources.
That local index is only one part of Windows Search. Results from connected Microsoft accounts or the web, and search history used for personalization, have separate privacy implications and controls.
What Windows Search indexing does
Indexing catalogs information about files and other PC content so searches can find it quickly. By default, Windows indexes file properties such as names and full paths. For supported file types, it can also index content, which lets you find a document by words inside it rather than only by its name or location.
The index is not a one-time snapshot. Microsoft says the first build can take up to a couple of hours; afterward, Windows watches for changes and updates the catalog in the background. Apps can contribute information too. For example, Outlook can add locally synced email to the index so it is searchable offline. File Explorer, Edge, and Outlook use the index in different ways.
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What Windows Search indexes—and where
In Windows 11, open Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows to review indexing scope. In Windows 10, Microsoft documents the path as Settings > Search > Searching Windows; labels may vary by release.
Classic and Enhanced modes
| Mode | Location coverage | Practical trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Classic | Documents, Pictures, Music, and the desktop by default; locations can be customized. | A narrower scope designed to balance search coverage with system resource use. |
| Enhanced | The whole PC, including user folders and files. | More comprehensive local search; indexing more locations may use more resources and can affect battery life or CPU consumption. |
You can also exclude folders and decide whether supported file types are indexed for properties only or for properties and content. Properties-only indexing still finds a file by its name and metadata, but not by words inside it.
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Does Windows send the local index to Microsoft?
Microsoft says the Windows Search index is stored locally on the device. That describes the local file index; it does not mean every search feature is offline or that every result comes from that index.
Windows Search can also show results from a personal Microsoft account, a work or school account, and the internet. When enabled, work or school cloud search can surface content from services such as OneDrive for Business, Outlook, and SharePoint. Web search and suggestions are Bing-powered. These connected results are distinct from the local catalog and should be considered separately when reviewing privacy settings.
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Copilot+ PCs have an additional semantic-indexing capability for listed document and image formats. Microsoft says this data is stored locally and is not stored by Microsoft or used to train AI models. That assurance applies to the semantic-index data Microsoft describes, not to connected account results, Bing searches, or every Windows Search feature.
Search history is separate from file indexing
Windows Search stores device search history locally for personalization. You can clear it under Search permissions. Cloud web search history associated with a Microsoft account is a separate setting available through Microsoft’s search-history controls.
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When you search Bing, Microsoft says it collects search terms and information such as your IP address, location, cookie identifiers, search date and time, and browser configuration. That collection concerns Bing search activity; it should not be confused with the local index of document contents.
What indexing means for performance and storage
A broader index has more locations to cover and can require more resources. Microsoft says Classic mode balances search coverage and system resource use, while Enhanced mode gives more comprehensive results but may use more resources. Its privacy guidance warns: “Searching your entire PC may affect battery life and CPU consumption.” This is Microsoft’s general guidance, not an independent benchmark or a prediction of a specific slowdown on every computer.
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The index also occupies storage. Microsoft Support gives an undated rule of thumb that it is less than 10 percent of the size of indexed files, while noting that many very small files or code can raise the share. Treat that as general guidance, not a guaranteed limit for a particular PC.
After the initial build, background updates continue as files change. If you notice high CPU use or battery drain, first check whether indexing is still building or updating before assuming it is the cause. Microsoft’s guidance does not establish a universal performance impact across different hardware and workloads.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to choose settings that fit your needs
- Choose Classic if the default common folders cover where you keep files and you want a narrower index.
- Choose Enhanced if you store material across many folders and want broader local coverage, accepting that indexing more locations may use more resources.
- Use properties-only indexing for file types where searching by name and properties is enough; include content when you need to find words inside supported documents.
- Review connected search and history separately if your concern is cloud results or personalization rather than the local file catalog.
- On a Copilot+ PC, treat semantic indexing as an additional capability with its own supported formats and settings. Microsoft recommends plugging in the PC during its initial indexing.
How to check or narrow indexing
- Open Settings > Privacy & security > Searching Windows in Windows 11, or Settings > Search > Searching Windows in Windows 10.
- Check whether the device uses Classic or Enhanced mode and review the included locations. Customize locations or exclude folders that do not need to appear in local search.
- Review file-type options and choose properties-only or properties-and-content indexing according to whether you need searches inside files.
- Open Search permissions to review device search history and cloud content search independently of local indexing.
- If performance is a concern, check indexing status and whether the first build is still underway before changing settings. Narrowing locations or content indexing reduces the work Windows needs to do, but may make some results unavailable.
Copilot+ semantic indexing is not standard indexing on every PC
On Copilot+ PCs, semantic indexing supplements traditional indexing for supported document and image formats. It can match related concepts—for example, a search for pasta may find content about lasagna—instead of relying only on exact words. Microsoft says this feature is enabled by default on Copilot+ PCs and recommends connecting the PC to power during the initial build. Its formats and language support are specific to the semantic feature; traditional indexing continues to work for supported Windows language packs. Do not assume these Copilot+ capabilities apply to other Windows PCs.
Quick Recap
Official Windows Search references
- Microsoft Support: Search indexing in Windows
- Microsoft Support: Windows Search and Privacy
- Microsoft Support: How Microsoft stores and maintains your search history
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